


The Ripples of Time

by Nith (Nitholites)



Series: Aki's Misadventures in the Past [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Author Is Sleep Deprived, Author Survives on the Reader's Tears, BAMF Uzumaki Naruto, Canon-Typical Violence, Crack, Cussing, During Canon, F/F, Flashbacks, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Fourth Great Shinobi War, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Aki, Fuuinjutsu Master Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi Has Feelings, Hatake Kakashi Has Issues, Hatake Kakashi Is Trying, Hatake Kakashi is Whipped, Hatake Kakashi is a Good Teacher, Hatake Kakashi is a Troll, Here Comes The Angst We Ignored In Part One, Hoshigaki Kisame Eats Trees, Hurt/Comfort, I Lured You In With The Crack, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, More Uzumaki, No Smut, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Child Abuse, Read by the Author, Rebuilt Uzushiogakure | Hidden Eddy Village, SIPPY SIPPY, Smart Uzumaki Aki, Smart Uzumaki Naruto, The Author Regrets Nothing, This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things, Time Travel Fix-It, Uzumaki Aki Knows All, Uzumaki Aki Needs a Hug, Uzumaki Aki has PTSD, Uzumaki Naruto Needs a Hug, Yes you read that right, You Will Cry And You'll Like It, Zen Garden in the Akatsuki Base, mmm you taste that? its the angst in the mornin, this gets sad y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:21:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28584897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nitholites/pseuds/Nith
Summary: Aki's adventures continue in this part two of Changing the River of Time!
Relationships: Dai-nana-han | Team 7 & Hatake Kakashi, Hatake Kakashi/Uzumaki Aki, Jiraiya & Uzumaki Naruto, Nara Shikamaru/Uzumaki Naruto, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added, Uzumaki Aki & Everyone, Uzumaki Naruto & Everyone
Series: Aki's Misadventures in the Past [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2066310
Comments: 18
Kudos: 119





	1. The Calm Before the Storm

**Author's Note:**

> If you wanna join the discord server, here you go ^w^
> 
> https://discord.gg/WjYXkQGUhw  
> (the link is fixed, i apologize for not catching it sooner)
> 
> its where a lot of the ideas for this came from, and a few sneak peeks of future sections, plus more regular updates ^^ if that sounds like it's your jam, feel free to join in. otherwise, have a great day/night, and i hope you enjoy this ^^

Standing proud above the village hidden in the leaves, was a cliff. A cliff with five faces carved into its side, watching over the people the owners of said faces swore (and often died) to protect. Atop the fourth face was a man with deep garnet hair the shade of fresh blood and eyes a blend of twilight and the ocean at night. 

He didn't wear the vest of his rank, forgoing the uncomfortable thing for his favored garments- a navy yukata top patterned with the waves of his home, a matching obi, and the standard ANBU pants. A headband with the village's symbol loosely hung from his neck, but a seal held a different headband. A different loyalty- similar and friendly to each other, but vastly different. 

This man knew pain the likes very few could even _comprehend,_ held memories of a future never to come.

Not on _his_ watch, at least. 

The bingo book warned against fighting him. It gave a detailed description of him and his (few known) abilities (not that anyone realized just how little they knew) and classed him as an A-rank threat (the last time he checked, at least. Which was a couple of years ago, now, so it was probably out of date). 

He was a shinobi of unprecedented unpredictability and strength, rivaled only by legends such as the First Hokage, Madara Uchiha, and the very Sage of Six Paths. However, he could not even use a _third_ of his true strength- partially because he no longer held the chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts, but over half of that strength was directly tied to his other half.

A man he'd never see again. A man who had given his life for a war the Uzumaki would never let come to life, the yin to his yang because despite popular belief, it was the Uzumaki who held the darkness in his heart, the little light he had exaggerated and blown out of proportion. His other half was the light in their relationship but had simply let the small darkness within consume him for a time. To compensate, the Uzumaki had let the light within him grow even more exaggerated until even the Sage couldn't guess who was which in their relationship. But even without that power, the red-head was a force to be reckoned with.

His name was Aki Uzumaki, and he was lying in wait for a day he hoped would never come. 

.

.

.

While most would train given the chance, Aki didn't. At least not to get any _stronger._ The only training he did was to retain his abilities, for he knew he hit a plateau. In truth, he had hit it long ago, when he lost both the Tailed Beasts _and_ his other half. He'd never be back in peak performance, but he didn't _need_ to be. Not anymore. 

Everyone he knew in the war was stronger now than they were when it started, and he had always believed in his friends. 

_**Naruto's** friends, _his mind corrected. _He may not have strong bonds with everyone yet, but it's only a matter of time. And then... and then where will you be?_

 **No more thinking like that,** a familiar, booming voice echoed in his mind. **_Like it or not, kit, these people like you. They're friends with Aki Uzumaki, not Naruto. _**

_I can't take what he has. We're not the same, and I won't be his replacement._

_**You're not replacing anyone. You're adding a new bond for the kit, and for everyone else who needs it. Like that hound kid, he seems attached.** _

_I just remind him of Mom and his old team._ Aki had sensed the deep grief when Kakashi looked at him and figured it was his relation with Kushina. Of what could have been. _... But I think I see your point._

A snort resounded in his head. **_Not nearly enough. Naruto wouldn't have made bonds with half the people you know without the war and you know it._**

_Maybe, but he should have the chance to create those bonds first. He deserves the chance to make his own way without my interference._

**_... You know you're not really making bonds. Not in the way you used to._ **

_I know. They don't want to really know me- not when..._

**_Do any of them even know you prefer popsicles, tomatoes, and eggplants over ramen now? Do they know your favorite animals are foxes and cats? Do they know you prefer darker colors now, rather than the loud orange you used to? Do they know how much you care about them? Do they know what lengths you'll go to to keep them safe? Do they know that when you look at them, you see all they were, all they could be? Do they know you had a habit of gambling, that you used to break casinos all across the world with the Slug Queen? Do they even know what's going to happen to you when the war is won? What happens to us?_ **

_With any luck,_ Aki somberly thought, eyes steely, _they never will._

.

.

.

Aki sighed, rubbing his forehead as he wrapped up explaining his plan to Tsunade in her office, having updated the seals all around the room so not even the spirit of the Sage _himself_ could eavesdrop. The blonde woman sat back in her chair, a thoughtful look on her face as she mulled over his words.

"We can't help you if you do this. You won't be getting back-up," she said after a moment, face serious. A more and more common thing, especially after Aki revealed himself as a time-traveler.

"I know."

"Even _I'm_ not stupid enough to wager with _these_ odds. You'll probably die, no matter how overpowered you are."

"Most likely."

She frowned, standing with her hands flat against the desk as she leaned slightly over it. "I won't let you do this. If I have to order you to stay in the village, I will," she warned.

With a pained smile, Aki responded. "It's too late. I've already laid the pieces, and the dominoes are falling into place. Not to mention my status as leader of Uzushio." He paused, walking forward, and setting a hand on Tsunade's shoulder with a comforting smile on his face. "Trust me. We've already gone through all the other solutions, and this is the one where all of you live."

Her face softened, eyes looking straight through his. "What about you? This isn't just some random-"

"I've already lived my life," he interrupted, shaking his head and retracting his hand. "As it is, I should've died quite a few years ago. I'm on borrowed time as is, but none of _you_ are. You have your whole _lives_ ahead of you, and I won't let the same evil who took mine take yours, too." He smiled, walking over to the window casually and sliding it open. With a blink, he deactivated the seals and leaped out, his gentle words carried by the wind and sweeping through the office before vanishing as though he wasn't there in the first place.

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her forehead between her fingers. _Like Hell I'm going to let my godson kill himself,_ she internally grumbled.

.

.

Aki grinned, putting his hands on his hips. "You're getting better at the stealth thing," he called to the seemingly-empty road behind him. "But you're not quite there yet."

A second passed before the blond Uzumaki appeared, grinning. "That's just because no one can get the drop on _you,_ Aki-nii."

The older Uzumaki smiled, ruffling Naruto's hair as they turned towards the same direction and started walking. "Nope! How else am I gonna survive the Prank Wars?" Aki smiled, hit with a wave of nostalgia. He had dressed the same at Naruto's age up until the war.

"By being awesome, as usual," Naruto confidently answered. Was that... _smugness_ radiating off him?

Aki didn't get a chance to comment on it, as a different voice did. "Don't get cocky _yet_ ," a familiar voice stated from behind them. "You have _four years'_ worth of Prank Wars to endure now that you're back."

The two young men slowly turned around, only to find Yuki with her hands on her hips. The girl had ditched the kimono top, choosing a dark red crop top over a sleeveless mesh armor top. Her shorts stayed the same, as did her tool pouches and sandals. But now a Konoha headband proudly sat around her throat, her bright red hair chopped short.

... Her look _also_ gave Aki a wave of nostalgia, as it was very similar to what the Yuki from his time wore.

Yuki's smile was sharp and dangerous, her hands on her hips. Beside Aki, Naruto gulped. "Yuki-chan, so good to see you..." He chuckled nervously.

"M _hmm._ You weren't thinking about escape, were you?"

"N-no, Ma'am," Naruto stuttered out, Aki trying to muffle his laughter beside him. A glare did nothing to stop the red-heads amusement, instead having the opposite effect.

"Don't look at him, he won't help you," Yuki stated, her eyes gleaming with... well, a few things. But the big one was love. Familial love, the kind Aki had to work his ass off to finally get only to lose so soon after getting it. Love he once again had, once again received. Love he could freely give now. 

... _Well, within reason_ , his mind whispered. _Don't get close._

"When is Sasuke supposed to be back," Naruto interrupted- either sensing Aki's spiraling thoughts or desperate to change the subject before Yuki did something. 

... Probably the former, as Naruto had long ago befriended Kurama and gained the ability to sense emotions. "Sometime next week," Aki easily responded as a clone poofed, giving the red-head a good judge on Sasuke's progress. "His ship's scheduled to leave next Tuesday, so he should get here around... Saturday, I'd say." 

Naruto nodded while Yuki's nose scrunched. "No fair. He gets to train on Uzushio and I can't?"

"Not _yet,"_ Aki reminded, gently flicking her nose. "Not till you make chunin. That was the condition Lord Third set on allowing us to stay here while remaining loyal to Uzushio. We'd follow Konoha's rules and traditions until, at the very least, you get chunin and the island's habitable."

"When's Karin coming back?"

"Same time as Sasuke," Aki answered the blond. "She's teaching Sasuke about Uzushio's customs and traditions."

Aki didn't need to look at Naruto's face to see the scrunch on his nose. " _Why?_ It's not like the teme really cares."

"You'd be surprised," Aki stated. "There's a lot of people curious about Uzushio- not just Sasuke. Well, in whatever places don't actively squash all traces of our people existing."

_Those people had been taken care of- the people who stole from their home and denied the Uzumaki's existence. The stolen relics now sat in their proper places within Uzushio, and all had the warning engraved into their minds._

_The warning **not to mess with the Uzumaki.**_

"But, since you're back in the village, there's a kind of surprise waiting for you," Aki stated. He let a grin lift his lips at the blond's immediate change in tone.

"A surprise? What is it?"

"You'll see," Aki slyly said. "Hokage's orders. I'm not to tell you until after you get checked in with her."

"Done! Let's go!"

With a smile on his face, Aki watched as Naruto and Yuki raced ahead, smiles on their faces.

He idly wondered for how much longer he could watch them grow. 

.

.

.

The meeting with Tsunade went much the same way Aki remembered, with Kakashi pushing off the test until after he read the newest ' _novel'_ from Jiraiya. Some things truly never changed, it seemed. 

What _wasn't_ like how he remembered was how immediately after, Jiraiya made up some excuse to stay with Aki, dragging the Uzumaki out of the room and towards the nearest...

Training ground?

_What's this about? He never seemed so interested in me before... and going to a training ground is highly unusual for him._

When they arrived, Aki sent a puzzled look towards the Sanin. "What is it? This is quite unusual, Jiraiya-san." 

"The best way to know someone," Jiraiya started, walking a few feet away, "is to fight them. And, Aki, I happen to be very curious about the kind of man you are." The man lifted a hand, the sign taking a moment for Aki to register its meaning.

The sign of readiness, shown before every friendly spar. A sign Aki hadn't seen since his Academy days, as funny as that was. 

He sighed, shaking his head. "Guess I have no choice. Let's not use ninjutsu- we don't want to destroy this place." He mimicked the sign, waiting the appropriate moment before striking.

Block. Redirect. Counter. 

Blows flowed between them like some kind of elegant, violent, choreographed dance. But Aki had the advantage of speed, strength, _and_ knowing his opponent when the reverse wasn't true. Coupled with his endless stamina, Aki was one hell of a fighter. And someone you _really_ didn't want to find on the other side of the battlefield. 

After what felt like forever (but in actuality was only a couple of minutes), Aki leaped back, kunai vanishing into a seal. A smile decorated his lips as he asked, "Why don't we take this up a notch?" With barely a flicker of chakra, twin scythes appeared in Aki's hands, seals lining the weapons, similar to his other scythe. He spun the two smoothly before letting his arms fall, deceptively at ease. 

"I couldn't agree more!" A moment of stillness and Jiraiya's features changed to be more like a toad's. "I assume you know what this is."

Aki nodded, his smile still in place. "Quite well, actually."

"Then let's get on with it."

.

.

.

The spar was intense, even without the use of any ninjutsu or offensive senjutsu. Where Jiraiya was confident and wary and stood like a rock all at once, Aki was as fluid as water and as relentless as the waves. The Uzumaki moved like a ghost, never truly getting hit- despite the nature chakra attacking him. At one point, Aki had joined the two scythes into one, wielding both forms like a pro.

Idly, Jiraiya wondered what caused him to need to learn how. What danger had got even _Aki_ afraid? For while the red-head had told his story, he never went into detail. And Jiraiya doubted Naruto remembered to ask about the missing pieces. Hell, _he_ barely remembered- and not because he had research to occupy his mind. 

The spar ended in a draw, with neither party particularly out of breath or spent. Though Jiraiya suspected it would have ended in his loss if they used ninjutsu, or if Aki had actually taken him seriously. 

How did the Sanin know Aki wasn't using everything he could?

Not once did the red-head summon an impossible number of clones. Or even _one._ Not a duplicate Uzumaki to be seen for the hours they'd been sparring. 

Jiraiya would have been offended if he weren't so _proud_ of how far Aki came. The thought that this red-head and his godson were one and the same would have sounded outlandish (physical differences aside, the thought Naruto would grow up to be so powerful and calm was like a fever dream) if he hadn't seen the identical expressions of mischief, pleased guilt, and excitement on both Uzumaki- eerily similar to Kushina's. 

Not to mention the (muted but still there) ticks. Laughter in seemingly-strange times, the determined gleam in their eyes, rubbing the backs of their necks, inhaling food like it was going out of style, the guarded way neither of them truly opened up to someone but made it feel like they were best of pals. 

Yeah. Jiraiya could see the resemblance. He could see a future where Naruto grew up into someone like Aki, and he didn't know whether to be proud of the man or sad at the experiences to make him.

.

.

.

When Naruto entered the Uzumaki compound, the first thing he noticed was a new face among the family pictures. An intimidating man with blue skin, _gills,_ sharp-looking teeth along with a sharper-looking gaze. Something was scribbled in some kind of signature on the edge of the picture, but the squished thing was too messy to read. He could tell it started with an 'S', though. He sighed, eyeing the _other_ 'new family members' Aki had adopted seemingly out of the blue over the years. A teen with blond hair covering an eye and a half-ponytail thing going on. A woman with light purple/blue hair, amber eyes, and a soft, motherly smile. A man with silver/gray hair, a big smile, his tongue sticking out, and his hand up in a censored vulgar sign. Another man wearing a hood and mask, so only his green, white-less eyes showed. Then a young man with black hair and stress lines on his tired face. For some reason, Sasuke had teared up when Naruto talked about him. The only one who looked like he _might_ have been an Uzumaki was a boy with vibrant red hair and dark eyes.

Uncle Glitter, Mom, Uncle Censored, Uncle Expensive, Dango-kun, and String-kun, in that order. Except, of course, for the newcomer, who Naruto was starting to realize was a shark-like man. There was one who wasn't shown, mainly because Aki-nii said he didn't have any accurate pictures. That was Uncle Complicated, the problematic one. Then he realized another newcomer who looked eerily similar to that crazy lady from the chunin exams. The one who threw them into the Forest of Death oh so long ago. "Hey, Yuki," he called, getting the younger's attention. "Who are the new ones?"

"Uncle Smoochums and Dango-chan."

Naruto squinted back at the signature, barely able to see 'Smooch-kun' in the squiggles, nodded, then moved on. 

He'd probably see everyone at the dinner table again soon enough, anyway.

At that moment, Aki danced through the front door, happily humming something under his breath. Within a second, a new, silver plaque sat under the picture of Uncle Smoochums, reading 'Smooch-kun' in a fancy, flowing script. Engraved on either end of the thing were sparkles and flowers and hearts, obviously meant to be obnoxious and in your face.

Someone only got a plaque if Aki-nii either _really_ liked them, or if they had some of the same values as said Uzumaki. Among those were Dango-kun, Mom, and Uncle Glitter. And now Uncle Smoochums.

"What did he do," Naruto asked, gesturing to the new plaque.

"He has a garden of trees," Aki easily responded. "He's an environmentalist, too. And he only gnaws on branches that fall off naturally or are too far gone to save."

Naruto nodded, then had to do a double-take. "Wait... what?"

"He bites branches," Aki repeated, as though that'd explain anything.

The two Uzumaki children just nodded and went along with it, too accustomed to the eldest Uzumaki's strange behavior say anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So!! In light of some confusion on who were in the portraits, the new familiy members were Deidara as Uncle Glitter, Konan as Mom, Hidan as Uncle Cencored, Kakuzu as Uncle Expensive, Itachi as Dango-kun, and Sasori as String-kun :)  
> And, of course Anko as Dango-chan and Kisame as Smooch-kun 
> 
> These names came from a crack moment in the discord!! if you wanna join in, the link is https://discord.gg/ESjn3jKz
> 
> happy meming, yall :3


	2. Deciding What to Do

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uzushio lost more than just people and techniques. And it's high time for some Quality Gaara Content

_"What are we doing here, Aki-nii?"_

_A reasonable question, as Aki had brought the newly teenage boy to the healing island of Uzushio during the middle of training, not even giving a proper explanation beyond the 'clan thing' he gave Kakashi. The two Uzumaki were standing in the middle of a large, destroyed building. The ceiling no longer existed, the starry sky twinkling down upon them. Moss and vines grew along the ancient stone walls and pillars, covering the art only Aki now knew was there. The tile floor was cracked, weeds and plants growing between said cracks and reaching towards the improvised skylight above. Around them were candlesticks and brushes and ink jars of all colors, and powerful chakra slowly moving about the space._

_The chakra felt ancient and patient, waiting for eons to be of use once more._

_Aki smiled, all teeth and amusement. "You'll see, Kit." He looked up to the sky, narrowing his eyes slightly in thought. "It's almost time."_

_As soon as the full moon reached the center of where the roof would have been, a giant seal started glowing beneath their feet, a comforting gold contradicting the silver of the moon. "What's going on," Naruto's panicked voice called out._

_"Under normal circumstances," Aki started, a big smile on his face, "you would have done this twice before. The first, when you turned 6 and officially got your name and your parent's sign. The second, as soon as you graduated from the Academy. Considering this place was under a bunch of rubble until last week, this was the first opportunity we had to do this."_

_"But what are we doing?"_

_The glowing got too bright to see through, and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, arms coming to protect his face._

_When he finally peeled his eyes open, Naruto immediately thought he was dead. A reasonable assumption, seeing as before him were thousands of Uzumaki, long since gone. Some with very traditional clothing or armor like the picture books from the Warring Clans Era depicted, some with civilian clothing gracing their limbs, all with bright hair of varying shades and lengths. Though most seemed to keep it long, pride keeping them from cutting the identifying feature short. No children were present besides Naruto himself, and he didn't know why._

_Naruto stood gob-smacked so long, the Uzumaki in front of him either started chuckling or expressing concerned words._

_"Did you do nothing to teach the kit," a woman with an elegant kimono and decorative sticks through her buns asked, frowning slightly at Aki._

_"There wasn't any time if we were going to make it tonight," Aki stated, shrugging. "We just got back from an out of town mission, y'know._ _"_

_The woman sighed, shaking her head. "There's nothing to be done now, I suppose." She turned to Naruto, wisdom beyond time in her eyes. "Welcome, Kit, to your naming ceremony. I am known as Mito Uzumaki, leader of the Uzumaki clan before and during my marriage and wife of the First Hokage. I was the first jinchuriki, renowned for my seals and calm demeanor. You may call me 'Grandmother' if you so wish."_

_Naruto only had one question._

_"What?"_

_It took a bit of explaining, but Naruto eventually got it. "So, basically... the Uzumaki didn't name their children until they turned 6?"_

_The three Uzumaki in front nodded- Aki, Mito, and an older man named Ashina. The unfamiliar man was the only one to keep his old age in death, his white hair being the only deviant from the shades of red. Minus Naruto's blond, of course._

_"And with those names came identifying... seals?"_

_"Disguised as tattoos and emblems," Mito stated. "A way to bring us together, even when there were too many of us to tell everyone apart. A way to ensure a parent would know their kits were safe, know their partners were safe. So in times of crisis, no one would waste time asking questions about who you were and where you came from, even if you'd never seen them before."_

_"It was a practice put in motion by the first Uzumaki, thousands of years ago. When no one had the time for words or to leave a trace of names and relations. We know who we came from by the symbols on our murals and in our family homes," Ashina stated, nodding to himself. "A kit would have the symbols of their parents, but their parents' homes would have the signs of their ancestors carved into the walls, rooves, and floors, linked with barrier and protection seals. It's why it took so long for Uzushio to burn and give the living kits a chance to escape. Why there aren't any children in this space. The seals protected them long enough."_

_"There are more..."_

_Ashina nodded, both Aki and Naruto tearing up. "We'll have time for this later," Aki stated, shaking his head. "For now, we need to continue."_

_"You know who's kit this is, correct?"_

_Aki nodded at Mito, eyes steely. "In all but blood, he's my own. However, he was born to Kushina-nee and Minato-nii."_

_Mito blinked, a warm expression coming over her and Ashina's face. "I see. Then we shall teach you Kushina's mark." The woman looked over to Aki, a frown on her face. "Now, who's kit are_ **_you?_ ** _You haven't decided upon a mark yet, either."_

_"We're not here for me," Aki stated. "I can come back for this. But I don't know how much longer Naruto has within the village before a training journey."_

_Mito didn't look happy, but she nodded anyway. "I'll hold you to that, child. Now, let's begin."_

_Kushina's mark had been Mito's- a fox chasing its tails in the circle, waves crashing behind it. A symbol of the jinchuriki, and personalized by each who held the mantle. Mito's didn't have the waves, instead choosing to have the seals in plain view. Kushina had been the one to change it a bit, incorporating the waves and weaving intricate seals into the fox's tails._

_Seeing as Naruto also wanted to change it up, he did. He forwent the fox theme completely, creating something new for himself._

_A blood-red snowflake matching the shade of Aki's hair came to life, with orangey-gold glowing chains wrapping around it. No section of the delicate flake was left alone, a soft glow sowing in the image's shading._

_"Why'd you chose this, Kit?"_

_Naruto didn't hesitate to answer. "You said some Uzumaki had chakra chains. Mom's were gold, right?" Aki nodded. "They look kinda orange here because that's my color. It's Mom's and Dad's combined, right?" Another nod, and the youngest Uzumaki was starting to get some confidence. "The red's for a few things. Mostly cuz it's Aki-nii's color, but it's also the color I see when my dreams end. And because I wouldn't be here without those people in my dreams, and everyone who fell within Uzushio."_

_"Dreams," Mito asked, narrowing her eyes. Naruto nodded, a solemn look on his face._

_"Dreams. They don't end well. People who look like my friends, but strange, end up sacrificing themselves. They tell me to make whoever they're fighting against pay, to never lose hope and to set things right." He had to take a break, gathering his thoughts. "They say they believe in me, y'know. That I can save their friends, too. That I'll end the war."_

_Mito sent a_ _look_ _to Aki, who knew he couldn't get out of it anytime soon. "They don't end up making it out of the dreams, do they?"_

_Naruto shook his head. "So I'm gonna keep their words in mind. I'll honor their last moments, and I'll keep the snowflake red, so I remember what they sacrificed to give me a chance. Even if I don't know why they had to."_

_The Uzumaki who heard the blond's words froze, taking a moment to register their meanings. "That's brave of you, Naru," Aki eventually stated, pride in his eyes. "I'm sure they appreciate it."_

_The sunshine child earned the nickname with his smile._

.

.

.

The bell test. A memory Aki held fondly- the second being a moment of great pride for the Uzumaki.

Not to mention the start of the events leading up to the war.

Honestly, it was complete luck that a couple of days after Naruto returned started that particular chain of events in his time, but Aki supposed that he'd always had... _extreme_ luck. Both good and bad, somehow managing the good luck in the most dangerous situations. At least, until later in the war. Maybe the Sage's spirit was watching over them for a time and merely abandoned them after seeing how hopeless it was. Maybe he had quietly run out of luck, finally waking to the dangers every other shinobi knew like the backs of their hands.

Either way, the war was devastating and left no room for hope or fun or light, and Aki had to decide what to do. No more worrying, no more planning, no more hoping. It was time to act and to trust in his moves.

That didn't make it any less terrifying or cemented his course of action. The red-head sighed, tilting his face towards the starry sky. The cool desert wind messed with his hair, gently waving the locks around in a comforting motion. If he closed his eyes, Aki could pretend it was his mother, the sound of the breeze loving words whispered to him.

His eyes opened at a rustling- the special ops from Suna. Of course he'd be tailed while within the walls- he was an S+-class shinobi. Of _course_ he'd be monitored. Even within Konoha, he was watched, which either said more about his village's lack of trust or importance.

(He didn't think about it much, his thoughts spiraling and creating the worst-case scenario.)

When said guards vanished, Aki was... slightly on guard. The only reasons for that to happen were 1, the Kazekage ordered it, 2, said Kazekage was in danger, or 3, the village was under attack. And Aki knew the Akatsuki were about to move. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that, for a split second, the Uzumaki panicked. His mind raced to the worst-case scenario, images of a bloody, too-pale Gaara lying on the hard ground, unmoving. Of a past never to come replaying in the present, of failed plans and too-late actions.

That is, he panicked until he sensed Shukaku nearby, and with him, Gaara.

The relief that coursed through Aki's veins couldn't be over-stated at that realization. Even more so, since the new Kazekage was only a couple meters behind Aki on the roof, silent in approach and stance. "When's the last time you looked," Aki asked, letting his body fully relax (or as close as the war veteran could get, but definitely more so than when the black ops were watching him). 

"Too long," came the clipped reply as the younger ginger joined him on the edge of the roof. 

"Your new duties would keep you busy, huh?" A nod and they both let the silence grow. 

Sometimes the silence was too much—a reminder of what's been lost, of what will never return. A note of laughter passed, of times they could never go back to. Of what might have been, if only things changed just a _hair._ The loneliness and pain go with it, always following the silence like a leaf helplessly following the wind. 

But sometimes... sometimes words were too loud, echoing in the void they could never fill. Sometimes everything was overwhelming, pushing against his senses and skin like sandpaper. Where even breathing was too loud, and when people only made his hackles raise in unease. 

People remembered the times Naruto was loud- looking and demanding attention. They never seemed to remember when the boy was as quiet as ice, mimicking its cold exterior. The same could be said for Aki. 

For the most part, he was the calm within the storm. Controlling the chaos with a feral, unbridled grin. Sometimes he was riding the winds and waves of his own creation, looking to destroy everything in his path. But sometimes, he was the quiet current just under the surface of the waves. Dictating where the water and creatures within ended up, but with a silent, encouraging hand that was barely noticeable except in hindsight. Leading lives to a new, brighter reef.

But this wasn't one of those times.

"Things are about to change," Aki stated, not tearing his eyes off the sky. 

A shift in the air told the red-head that Gaara nodded. " _He_ thinks so, too. He wonders what you are going to do."

Aki blinked, finally turning to face the Kage beside him. With a slow, considering look, Aki sighed and turned back towards the horizon. "Honestly, I haven't completely figured it out yet. There are so many delicate parts... so many chances for screw-ups, so much to lose now." A quiet huff escaped Gaara, gaining a curious look. "What's so funny?"

"It's okay to be attached. To have something to go home to, something to protect," Gaara started, no hesitation in his voice or words and a soft look on his face. A look only acquired by those who personally knew what they were talking about. "It's okay to be terrified of losing what you have, of losing the people you know. It's _human_ , and it's in our natures to defend what we see as ours."

"I know," Aki said, running a hand through his hair as he leaned up, hunching his shoulders just a bit. "It's just..." He took a long moment to think, to decide whether or not to open up a bit. To see if he can make similar bonds as before, to see if he's still worthy.

**_It's about time you did so, Kit._ **

With one more deep breath, Aki closed his eyes and spoke. "The last time I had people this precious to me... they're all gone. Every last one." He ran a hand through his hair, snagging and pulling a few tangles as he did so. Both red-heads ignored his shuddering breath as flashes of death and pain enveloped Aki's mind. "All because of me," he stated in a whisper. It was more of a recurring thought, one he never meant to voice. But something made him; something ensured he wouldn't close off at this moment, not like usual.

Gaara was quiet for a long moment, turning the information over in his mind. "They wouldn't have wanted you to suffer alone like this."

Aki stilled, eyes widening. His breathing slowed and quieted even further, as though if he made a sound, the moment would break.

"If your precious people thought like any of the people here now, they'd scold you for being so closed off. I don't know what they were like- no one does with how you are. But I know the people around you today want to help you. They want to hear you, even when you try to ignore yourself. They want to hear stories of your youth, the story of your heart and soul. They want to know _you,_ Aki Uzumaki. Not whatever dolt you pretend to be."

After another pause, Gaara continued. "They want to love you. All you have to do is let them."

As the sun rose, Gaara caught the twinkle of water blowing in the wind. The sands burned a lighter shade of garnet and blood as Gaara's companion's hair, both shifting in the breeze. Neither spoke until the sun fully rose over the horizon, and it was Aki who started it. 

He turned to Gaara, lingering tears falling off his cheeks and a bright, if small, smile on his face. His eyes were honest and unguarded for the first time, revealing just how many shields he usually held. 

"Thank you."

And then, like the mirage he was, Aki vanished in a quick, red light, the only thing cementing his existence in the first place whispered words. Even those quickly disappeared, carried away by the desert wind.

Gaara smiled to himself, happy that yet another kindred soul to himself and his dear friend found the home and love he deserved. And now that he thought about it, Aki and Naruto were quite similar. He could easily imagine a future where Naruto grew into a man astoundingly like Aki. Warm yet slipped through your fingers at the slightest touch. As cool as the sands at midnight, refreshing compared to the heat from the day. 

But he never questioned the similarity, simply happy there was someone in the world for each of them to relate to. 

_(Aki later regretted opening up, choosing to show his true colors for once in his life. For while he didn't show even a fraction of who he was, the panic he felt two weeks later wasn't worth the lightness following his heart after that fateful night. Kurama felt like screaming into the void about his stupid, self-deprecating kit, screaming for someone to help the kit in ways he couldn't._

_But that's for the future. Now, Aki was light as a feather, and it was obviously noticeable to everyone in his life.)_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is so late and pretty short!! college's been kicking my ass plus a bit of lost inspiration  
> but here it is!!  
> Thank you, haru, for the uzumaki and tattoos headcanon!! absolutely love it, gonna have it in many a chapter if thats aight!  
> next chap should be the bell test, and the start of the Angst  
> (im not kidding, its gonna get Hurt with little comfort in parts)  
> but anyway! thank you for reading, and i hope ta see you next chapter! have an amazing day/night :3


	3. Notice + Sneak Peeks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> IMPORTANT

First of all, thank you all **_so so so_** **much** for staying with this story. For showing your support, and for being so enthusiastic. Seeing all of you enjoy this work really warms my heart, and it inspires me every day.

But I **_cannot stay on AO3._**

Some of you may know this- some may not. But AO3 has stated that sexual fics around minor RPFs- **_real person fiction-_** **doesn't **go against community guidelines.

To simplify- **_fics depicting sexual acts, sexual assault, assault, and pedophilia about real minors on the internet are allowed on AO3._** There is no excuse for this- it's not okay.

Hell, I don't think it's okay to write about _real people in general_ , such as but not limited to YouTubers, voice actors, actors, and authors at all. But the fact that this is happening to _minors_ is disgusting. It's unforgivable, and until AO3 changes their guidelines over this, I'm afraid I cannot continue to use this website in good conscience. 

Am I abandoning this site? **_Yes._**

Am I abandoning this _fic? **No.**_

There are other sites to write on- such as Wattpad, ff.net, QUOTEV, and TONFA (for Naruto fanfics, specifically). I will be transferring all of my works to ff.net for the moment, give it a try as it's the only other one I feel comfortable using besides Wattpad at the moment. I _will_ be publishing my fics on Wattpad as well, as I use it to store my drafts, and in case some of you are more comfortable using that instead of ff.net. 

**_Transferring will most likely start in early March, 2021._** That gives me some time to edit my works before posting them again, include _more_ of what I skipped over when I first started writing this story in 2018. (Yes, it's an old WIP of mine.) And for the absolutely _amazing_ people working behind the scenes to wrap up their amazing works (which i'll talk more about in the notes)

Once the works are published, I'll include the links to them in the notes, if you wish to check them out or continue with the story. 

_Will I ever come back to writing on AO3?_ **Maybe. It depends entirely on how they handle RPFs and pedophilia in the future.**

But, until that time does or does not come, **I will be putting this work up for adoption after posting what I have on other sites.**

I do not want to strip away a source of entertainment or serotonin from the people on this site, because I know that sometimes it's just _one thing_ that helps you through the day. _One thing_ that keeps you going, that brightens up your day. And I know that, sometimes, all we have is that one thing. So **I'll keep these posted. They won't be updated on this site anymore, but I won't take them down.**

All I ask is that, when it's elsewhere, you interact with the fic on other sites instead of this one. I'll continue reading the comments, continue keeping track of how it's doing, but I won't be responding unless it's a question relating to this issue, or a discussion. 

Now I think that's everything right now, so I'm going to add some sneak peeks into what's coming. Both as a way to show you that I haven't abandoned this yet, and to get you hyped for what's coming. _**The rest of this chapter's going to be spoilers, so if you don't want that, skip to the end.**_

I hope you enjoy.

.

.

.

A blank smile brought fresh memories to Aki's mind (of inappropriate references, of anger, of fierce protectiveness, of the scent of ink and blood- so much _blood-_ filling his nose as ink-black hair was stained with red), the painter's words fading to the ringing in Aki's ears. 

Sai never had the chance to grow up, after all. Because as skilled as he was... he was close to Danzo. Close to the traitor, close to the enemy. He was a very early death. And he never really changed from when Aki first met the teen.

The same teen now standing before him again. (It didn't help that the flashbacks were coming more often. Sometimes he'd be sitting on Hokage Monument, and in the next second, he's staring at a wasteland, a seal dug from the ground directly behind him.)

Aki shook his head, hand coming to grip his forehead. "Are you okay, Aki-nii," a concerned voice questioned, tan hands coming in front of his face. Aki, in a moment of instinct, jerked his head back, eyes unseeing before blinking back to reality. 

"Yeah," the red-head nodded, a false smile stretching his face. "I'm fine. Just... lost on the road of life." He took a deep breath, subtly shaking the panic out of his limbs.

.

.

.

**_It's been getting worse._ **

Aki hummed, flicking his wrist so the bell between his fingers chimed. _Sometimes. I don't think it's getting worse overall, though. I think it's usually just... set off by certain things or people._

 _ **Or because they're becoming the people you knew.**_ Neither spoke for a moment, considering the words neither hoped were true. **_You can't keep on like this. We both know it's only going to get worse with time- with the war coming closer and closer._**

 _It might not happen at all,_ Aki threw back, letting his head rest on his knee. _Most of the Akatsuki are honorary family now, and if we can talk to Nagato... I don't think they'll attack. They probably won't start a war now._

_**... Just be prepared. I have the feeling something's going to go wrong.** _

_Yeah..._ Aki sighed, sitting up and letting his leg fall as his head _thunk_ edagainst the tree trunk. His eyes slid shut as he sighed, hands dangling beside him and bell safely on his obi. _I can't tell if it's just habit from our Team 7 luck or if it's actually instinct, but... something's definitely going to go wrong. Even if the Akatsuki won't start a war anymore, the stupid weed's just gonna find someone else to do it. Some other pawn to use._

_**Right. We should take care of that soon, huh?** _

Aki nodded, eyes still shut. _Yeah. No one's safe until Zetsu's a pile of ash. I wonder if we can get Itachi to use Amaterasu on him...? Or would that have to wait for a while longer?_

 ** _I still don't understand why you don't just Rasenshurikan the weed_ , **Kurama huffed.

.

.

.

_He was opposed to the idea. No one else should sacrifice themselves for his sake, and that held true for the Tailed Beasts. Good friends who he thought would remain by his side or released into the world once more forever. Friends he truly got close to, as he thought they'd never truly die. He fought it with all his being, but the chakra flowing into his system told Naruto everything he needed to know._

_Shukaku was gone, leaving barely enough chakra for one last Six Paths Sage Mode. Not even enough to reform from. The jutsu wouldn't have allowed reformation anyway- converting the very soul of the user into chakra to give to someone else._

_A cursed jutsu meant for self-sacrifice. Naruto briefly wondered if Zetsu came up with it in order to truly kill some of it's more resilient enemies._

_One by one, the Tailed Beasts sacrificed themselves. One by one, Naruto was left more and more alone, mourning each passing as hard as the first. Bit by bit, Naruto lost himself._

_Naruto, who had fought so_ **_hard_ ** _for a family._

_Naruto, who was losing said family one by one._

_Naruto, who could do nothing but sit and watch, as he was the new Hokage- the last of the Kage- and needed to remain safe enough to give orders and rally the troops._

_Naruto, who was becoming more and more alone, despite the people rallying around and for him._

_Naruto, who only wanted it to stop. To see everyone reach their happy futures, to see the world heal._

_Naruto, whose only hope now was the seal._

_Naruto, who misses the sun and the sky and the waves._

_Naruto, who never really stopped mourning._

_Naruto, who no longer has the will to live on after Kakashi-sensei passed in his arms._

_Naruto, who never had the choice. The choice to live or die, to fight or remain, to listen or be heard._

_Naruto, who was little more than a plaything for the cruel fates. Who never truly wanted a life of violence and bloodshed- not after his childhood. Who only wanted to be heard, to be_ **_seen_ ** _, as_ **_him._ ** _As Naruto Uzumaki, a genius in his own right that will never go down in history because there no longer_ **_was_ ** _a history to go down in. No one left to tell the story of Naruto Uzumaki, war hero, Genin Kage, only remaining member of Team 7, last jinchuriki... a broken man with too many losses to count and too many hopes riding on his shoulders to live with._

 _Naruto Uzumaki, the number one knuckle-headed ninja who wasn't as dense as he seemed. As he_ **_pretended._ **

_Not that anyone cared enough to pull his walls down and learn about the_ **_real_ ** _Naruto. No one- not even Jiraiya- seemed to notice they were there in the first place, that the bumbling moron wasn't all there was to the blond._

 _He didn't know whether to be proud no one noticed or distraught because_ **_no one noticed. ~~No one cared enough to notice- why would they? They all hated you, started off hating you, only grew to tolerate you because you were useful.~~_ **

_And there wasn't anyone left to try._

_._

_._

_._

_**I'm sorry.** _

Two little words that meant so much more for Aki now than anyone else. Aki, who heard too many apologies to count while his friends- his _family, his reason for being-_ sacrificed themselves over and over again.

And Aki felt something he prayed would never happen again.

His wounds rushed closed, a red cloak covered his form, his dwindling chakra ( _he had used too much fighting and keeping his new family alive)_ replenishing and going over his normal range, the chakra of a thousand-year-old being entering his system.

Tears gathered at his eyes at the thought of what was about to happen, but Aki didn't let them fall. He couldn't afford to, dodging the numerous attacks sent towards him.

It was almost like they were targeting him, but that required- _no. That was impossible, why they waited until after the war to use the seal._

So, letting his body go on auto-pilot, Aki closed his eyes, finally letting the tears fall. _So am I. Thank you._

**_I love you, kit._ **

_I love you too._ Though he knew the ancient being couldn't hear him any longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH HARU AND TEA FOR AGREEING TO HELP I LITERALLY IM GONNA FREAKIN CRY YALL ARE GORGEOUS, AMAZING, TALENTED HUMANS  
> SERIOUSLY, HOLY HELL
> 
> *ahem*  
> anyway....


End file.
